Blog

Penang Street Art: Where art meets real life

Good ol’ Penang. The Pearl of the Orient, home to delicious char kuey teow, and now, to give your camera purpose with all its amazing murals. Not all those who wander are lost and if you’re in Georgetown, you’ll find yourself among all its unassuming glory.

Since listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008, Penang’s vibrant capital has evolved into a world-class spectacle with a lot of excitement surrounding its street art. Over the years the murals have multiplied with different artists adding more colour, life and significance to the walls of Georgetown.

Year after year droves of tourists from around the world have come, seen and snapped – making Penang’s street art a popular attraction for shutterbugs. With so many unique murals to awe over, here are a few that literally stand out for picture-worthy memories that will make your visit all in tune.

Boy On A Motorcycle

Boy On A Motorcycle by Ernest Zacharevic – Penang Street Arts

Hitch a ride and hang on tight to this famous piece by Ernest Zacharevic which incorporates a painting of a boy who looks as though he’s sitting on an actual installation of a motorbike. You can find this popular artwork close to the Jalan Pantai Junction along Ah Quee Street.
Find it on Google Maps

Kids on a Bicycle

Kids on a Bicycle by Ernest Zacharevic – Penang Street Arts

Here’s another popular piece by Zacharevic located at the junction of Lebuh Pantai. Allow your creative juices to flow and imagine the incredible ways to interact with this one. Or you could just pretend to sit on the back of the bike like most people do.
Find it on Google Maps

I Want Bao!

I Want Bao – Penang Street Arts by Ernest Zacharevic

Picture credit: Aditi Shukla/Tripzilla

In the same vein as Zacharevic’s trademark practice of creating interaction between mural and the urban landscape, this was actually done by WK Setor. It’s located next to the famous patisserie Ming Xiang Tai at Armenian Street right before the Lebuh Victoria junction. What could really bring life to this piece is if you were pictured eating a real bao ‘fresh’ from the bun steamers.

Children Playing Basketball

Boy Reaching Up

Boy Reaching Up – Penang Street Arts by Ernest Zacharevic

Ernest Zacharevic does it again with his murals and spontaneous response to the environment – in which case is the chair. Want to give this boy a lending hand with whatever it is he’s reaching for? Then head over to Cannon Street!

While all above may be on the top of the list for art lovers, there are lots of other Penang tourist attractions to check out as well. And to make sure you get a good night’s rest, book yourself into Tune Hotel Georgetown, your choice for the perfect hotel in Penang that offers you 5-star comfort, convenience and value.